Length of Trip: 92 kilometres (57 miles)
Time Required to Complete Trip: 4 to 5 days
Number of Portages: 11 to 15 (depending on starting point and
on individual choice)
Canoeists wishing to avoid Lac La Ronge entirely can launch canoes at Lynx Lake which is accessible by road approximately 43 kilometres (27 miles) north of La Ronge on highway 102. Canoeists opting for one of the alternate starting points could likely make arrangements for the safe parking of their vehicles at the Wadin Bay campground.
For reasons of safety, and variety of scene, canoeists making a pleasure trip generally prefer to stay close to shore when on a big lake. To permit canoeists to stay close to the west shore of Lac La Ronge, details of optional portages number 1 and number 2 are included.
Upon leaving Lac La Ronge, the character of the trip changes completely and the canoeist is on small protected lakes and streams until the southeast part of Otter Lake is reached. Fishing for pike and walleye is good throughout the trip, and lake trout can be found in Lac La Ronge.
Numerous attractive natural campsites are to be found throughout this trip.
Because river current is negligible or non-existent during this trip, it is completely reversible. The trip can start from Otter Lake and finish at Lynx Lake or one of the Lac La Ronge points. For this reason, portage descriptions are given from both ends.
Starting from La Ronge the canoeist travels in a northeasterly direction for about 11 kilometres (seven miles) to Nut Portage. This portage is optional. Making this portage shortens the route only slightly; however, it permits the canoeist to avoid the exposed crossing at Nut Point and gives the opportunity for making the second optional portage to English Bay, if weather conditions or personal preference so dictate.
From Campbell Channel, this portage starts at the narrowest, and lowest, portion of the peninsula (Grid location 896117 - Map 73-P/3).
From Nut Bay, this portage starts along the southeastern shore, and is easily seen (Grid location 896118 - Map 73-P/3).
From Ewen Bay, the trail starts as a clear break in the birch, alder and willow shoreline along the most westerly portion of the bay (Grid location 838164 - Map 73-P/3).
From the southeast shore of English Bay, this portage starts as a small break in the willows, birch and spruce between two projecting rocky points (Grid location 835167 - Map 73-P/3).
Whether optional portages number 1 and number 2 are made or not, the objective at the start of this trip is to reach the northeast part of Wadin Bay and the Lynx River which leads to Lynx Lake. Canoeists should enter the Lynx River from the north end of Wadin Bay.
From the downstream, or Wadin Bay side, this portage starts on the west or left side nine metres (10 yards) below the base of impassable rocky rapids (Grid location 023320 - Map 73-P/7).
From the upstream approach, this portage starts on the southeast or right side of the river 45 metres (50 yards) above a beaver dam (Grid location 023323 - Map 73-P/7). At its midpoint, the portage trail is crossed by an old bush road.
From the upstream side, a short distance down the Lynx River, this portage starts on the west or right side at the end of a beaver dam immediately above the rapids and back of some fallen trees (Grid location 016324 - Map 73-P/7). NOTE: Do not take the more noticeable portage opening a short distance southwest of the beaver dam as this is the old 700 metre (765 yard) portage trail which bypasses both portage 3 and portage 4.
From Lynx Lake, this portage starts on the east shore of a small bay (Grid location 031346 - Map 73-P/7).
From Duck Lake, this portage starts as a small break in the shoreline vegetation on the northwest shore of the lake (Grid location 032346 - Map 73-P/7).
From the Duck Lake side, this portage starts as a small break in the shoreline vegetation of a small cove on the northeast side of the lake (Grid location 042345).
From the Sulphide Lake side, this portage starts as a small break in the shoreline at the extreme southwest end of the lake (Grid location 045346 - Map 73-P/7).
The Dog River is the outlet stream for Sulphide Lake, which it leaves from a narrow bay on the east shore. It flows into Caribou Lake.
From Sulphide Lake, this portage starts on the northwest or left shore at the end of a narrow northeastward pointing bay on the east side of the lake immediately above a beaver dam and rapids (Grid location 086361 - Map 73-P/7).
From the Dog River side, below the first rapids, this portage starts on the northwest or right shore at an indistinct opening in the shoreline vegetation (Grid location 087363 - Map 73-P/7).
From the northeast or downstream, side this portage starts at the head of a beaver pond on the left or southeast side of the rapids in the inflowing stream (Grid location 092367 - Map 73-P/7). The trail has no definite start and the landing spot will depend on prevailing water levels.
From the beaver pond or west side, this portage starts on the right or east side of a beaver dam at the stream outlet (Grid location 092368 - Map 73-P/7).
From the meandering arm or east side, this portage starts on the left or south side of the inflowing waters (Grid location 093368 Map 73-P/7).
From the northwest arm of Caribou Lake, this portage starts on the right or east side at a beaver dam (Grid location 111381 - Map 73-P/7).
From the small beaver pond, this portage starts on the left or east side of the inflowing stream at a rocky and steep landing at the base of the fast water (Grid location 112382 - Map 73-P/7).
From the small beaver pond, this portage starts at the right or east side of a beaver dam at the outlet of the pond.
From the Freda Lake side, this portage starts at a break in the shoreline vegetation at the southern tip of Freda Lake (Grid location 116384 - Map 73-P/7).
A cabin can be seen on the west shore of Freda Lake (Grid location 134407 - Map 73-P/7).
At lower water levels a shallow rocky area may be encountered in the narrows at the extreme east end of Freda Lake (Grid location 160424 - Map 73-P/7).
From Freda Lake, at the northern end, after passing through the second narrows there is a small thumb shaped bay extending northward. The portage starts on the left or west side of a broken beaver dam on the outlet stream at the north end of this bay (Grid location 160427 - Map 73-P/7). If water levels permit, canoeists may drag their canoes over this dam and start the portage at the main dam thereby shortening the portage by 100 metres (110 yards).
From the small nameless lake, this portage starts at the south end of its south arm. It appears as a break in the shoreline vegetation immediately to the right or west of the stream entering from Freda Lake (Grid location 161429 - Map 73-P/7).
From the small nameless lake, this portage starts on the north shore a short distance to the right or east of the outlet stream (Grid location 164435 - Map 73-P/7).
From Sim Lake, this portage starts at the tip of the southwestern arm of the lake slightly to the left or east of the inflowing stream (Grid location 165437 - Map 73-P/7).
From Sim Lake, this portage starts at the northeast end of the lake about 90 metres (98 yards) to the right or east of the outlet stream (Grid location 198462 - Map 73-P/7).
From McNichol Lake, this portage starts on the left or east side at the south end of the stream flowing into the south end of McNichol Lake (Grid location 201465 - Map 73-P/7).
Between the northern end of portage number 15 and McNichol Lake proper, the small stream continues for a distance of one kilometre (2/3 mile). In this distance there are two fast spots which, depending upon water levels and direction of travel, may be either paddled or waded. There is also a beaver dam over which canoes will likely need to be hauled.
From McNichol Lake proceed northward to Smith Bay of Otter Lake and then northwest to the end point of this trip at the community of Missinipe on Walker Bay of Otter Lake. Missinipe is located 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of La Ronge on highway 102.
At Missinipe there is a store with gas pumps, a number of fishing outfitters, a canoe outfitter, a Saskatchewan Government campground as well as radio and telephone communication facilities and air and ground connection to southern points.
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